They’re back! Mournful Cries keeps cranking out the demos and EPs with their third release to date, “Vices,” which is another strong invocation of pure doom. The Sonoma County Sabbath worshippers conjure up some wicked sounding riffs from cosmic worlds beyond and tell listeners some haunting tales of bone chilling terror.
Ever since the band formed I have been tracking their progression and I can tell you that their sound keeps evolving with each new release. The first demo/EP was definitely more raw and rough sounding, but demonstrated a talented trio that could write some crushing pieces of doom metal. Also, I need to point out how the band self-records their music and drummer Alex Hernandez who does the mixing and engineering on each release does a really solid job capturing the band’s sound. The drum, guitar and bass production on, “Vices,” really stands out and adds a deafening punch to each track. I even thought the vocals provided by singer and guitarist Luis Olguin vividly complimented the instrumental compositions.
The two songs on this EP are both sinister cuts of doom and convey very dark heavily distorted atmospheres reminiscent to that of music by Saint Vitus and Pentagram. “Sinners Pyre,” is the opening track and slowly builds up into a blizzard of mind crushing doom. There is a catchy overall quality to the song, which is achieved by the song’s tight main rhythm. The other song on this EP, “Phantasmal Poisoning,” is another killer jam of heavy hitting doom with more dynamic compositions thrown into the mix. I thought the ending part of the song was without question the most captivating section. Bassist Matt Lasserre offers up some tasty bass lines and the music simply flows in perfect synergy until the end.
There is much to be said about this young band’s progression from their first demo, however, in the end I shall sum it all up by saying Mournful Cries is moving in the right direction. A lot of young bands rush themselves by trying to get full-length album out right away and end up creating subpar recordings. I think Mournful Cries is smart for taking their time and slowly building up to their first full-length with these demos and EPs. You get a better sense for what this band can offer and how they are constantly working to improve their sound.
So crank up the volume, turn out the lights, drink from the chalice and let “Vices” consume your soul...let the doom commence!
Mournful Cries bandcamp and FB:
I agree with what you wrote. Especially, the last paragraph.
ReplyDeleteThey are really coming together and creating great music.